God in all things

Today I recovered my mini-vacation. Sometimes it is good to drop out of the rat race and simply rest. I move so fast some days that there are streaks behind me. I love the chance to just stop and be. I watched the ice-dancing in the Olympics and soaked in the beauty of this sport. Tonight, I further immersed myself in beauty by attending my last photography class which was held outside. I stood still at one point and admired this city that I have grown up in and rejoiced that I could see it through a different vantage point. 

When was the last time you took a well-deserved time out?

Peace,

Suzanne

Today’s first reading from Sirach reminds us that we have free will. We can choose fire or water, life or death, good or evil. I heard the first time “whichever one chooses, that shall be given.” The phrasing seemed like a warning to me when I heard it today. We can fly high or we can sink to the depths of despair. I have spent the last few days watching people react to grief and loss. Some stand in hope; others are wearied by the journey. We can choose some days; other times the choices are too overwhelming. 

What choices face you today and what do you want given to you?

Peace.

Suzanne

I had a lovely Valentine Day yesterday. I did some self-loving by going to a spa with a friend. From there we had a delicious lunch out before going in search of my grandmother’s grave. Gram loved me deeply. I knew this to the core of my being and I had a hankering to spend time with her. Afterwards I attended a mass for a family where the father had suffered a stroke. The community came together on this day of Love to show that these women–a mother and her daughters–were not alone. Indeed they were surrounded by a community of witnesses who were standing with them in prayer. It was beautiful. 

After that I attended my cousin’s son’s middle years school basketball game and watched him win, with some strong passing and team work–and a basket too–by the young cousin. We finally worked out way to the home I am staying at, where friends filled the home with laughter and love…and sushi. We watched a movie and then headed to bed. 

It was a love-filled day. What are you grateful for yesterday?

Peace,

Suzanne

Valentine’s Day, that special day to honour the people you love….do we need such a day? Do we need a day to remember that we are loved and capable of loving? Must we set aside a single day to recognize our hearts do not only belong to us? Isn’t every day a day to celebrate the one who has your heart and vice versa? Shouldn’t we rejoice and be grateful each moment for the gift of Love?

This day has so much tension tied up in the pressure of being a couple, of being in relationship. Love begins between the One who created us and us. We are meant to be loving and to know we are Loved sinners. God offers us much more than we can ask or imagine. In receiving God’s love we are free to love others in return. With God, we experience unconditional Love. We have a model in Christ of loving wholeheartedly and with great mercy. In the Spirit we understand how Love reaches across the land and heals.

Be aware of how blessed you are today as you ponder the Love in your life today and make a pact to celebrate Love daily, beginning with loving yourself. If we are to love wholeheartedly, we must start with ourselves and let our own hearts be transformed.

Peace.

Suzanne

I am in Kelowna, home of my mother’s teenage years.  Her brothers and cousins are still here. I am staying in Westbank with a friend, in her home that overlooks the lake. The temperatures are so much kinder here than in my home province of Manitoba. I woke up yesterday to a bright and sunshiny day, with the the little bit of snow that is here melting.  I always feel as if I am stepping back in time, into a great big box of memories when I am here. I spent many a summer here as a child, and have wandered back as an adult. 

Yesterday I visited with my family, drove past the place where my grandmother’s house used to stand several times, and ended the day by heading up the mountain to my mother’s cousin’s home where as children we spent hours running around their fruit farm or sitting in front of the player piano, giggling as the magic instrument played. Those were magnificent days.

Now I am here and aware of the fragility of life. Many of the elders are unwell. Cancer is whispering annoying words to two of them. A stroke has limited a third. However the laughter and good conversations have not stopped.  We are happy to be together again and revisit some of the past joys. 

When was the last time you took a trip back to a happy place of your childhood?

Peace,

Suzanne

The light at dawn and dusk can take your breath away. In photography circles it is known as the golden hour. God spray paints with a touch of golden light and landscapes seem to shimmer with it.

In the first reading from Isaiah, we learn that our healing with spring up quickly and light shall break forth like the dawn when we fast as God wants us to–by loosening the bonds of injustice, undoing the thongs of the yoke, and freeing the oppressed. God hears the cry of the poor and answers: Here I am. If we feed the hungry, lift up the oppressed, and assist the afflicted, our light shall rise in the darkness.

The psalmist too promises that light shall rise for the upright. Hearts who trust in the Lord will be unafraid. They shall be exalted. In the Second Reading, we are reminded that our faith must rely on the power of God. The Gospel claims us as children of God, salt of the earth and light for the world. It is not our power that is at the forefront here but what we do must point to God. Our good works and our gifts are for the glory of the Giver. We are to shine to light the path for others to walk in, for others to find the Giver.

I have been thinking about gifts this week. I am trying to embrace a rather odd gift that I have. As I watched Frozen this afternoon, I empathized with Elsa whose gift of creating winter is both beautiful and dangerous. She choses to hide her gift behind locked doors and suffers greatly for it, as does her family, especially her younger sister Anna. Later, it worsens as she does not know how to control it and rather than shine, she spreads darkness and fear. She does not use her gift to lift up the oppressed but rather causes havoc. Finally, when Love steps in, the gift is appreciated for its beauty and wonder.

How often do we not see Love in our darkness? If we believe and trust in the power of God, Love prevails and the gifts that we have illuminate our world. What gift do you need to allow to shine?

Peace,

Suzanne

Life is a journey through the unknown. You walk down a path and you do not really know where it will lead you. Perhaps there are doors along the way that look interesting and you make a detour and check out where they go. Sometimes the path may be well-lit, in fact light may seem to be all around you, reflected off everything, illuminating your path and bringing joy. At other times, the journey is dark and you must depend on only seeing one step ahead of you. This can be frightening. Learning to trust both journeys takes a life time for many of us.

Reflect on where you are right now on the path. Does it seem bright or do you wish someone had a flashlight they could loan you?

Peace,

Suzanne

The symbol of my province is a buffalo. Two of them adorn the grand stairwell at the Legislature Building. Buffaloes represent provision, strength, and stability. The buffalo is believed to be a sacred animal in Aboriginal traditions. Here in the prairies they were a staple for generations past. Is there a symbol that you use to guide you in your journey?

Peace,

Suzanne

Do you ever think about the kind of imprint you can leave on a person? Fossils are thousands of years old and are fascinating to many people. If you could leave a legacy giving the essence of who you are, what would it be? Why wait until you are gone? Start sowing the seeds of that goodness now.

Peace,

Suzanne

I am taking a photography course right now. The other night we had an outdoor element to the class. For the last 45 minutes of class, we went outside of the Parliament Building and tried some shots. I had been roasting inside because I had dressed so warm but it did not take long for me to get cold. I managed to stick it out for about half an hour and this is the best shot of the night. I learned how to customize my white balance so that the picture was not yellow but grey like this. That was worth braving the cold.

Sometimes in life we have to do things that do not make us very happy but bring us valuable lessons. What was the last lesson you are glad you learned?

Peace,

Suzanne